True bite attachment



May 21, 1935-- G. J. KELLER 2,001,963

TRUE BITE ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .[/zez tar @607 e Jle er May 2l, 1935. s. J. KELLER 2,001,963

TRUE BITE ATTACHMENT Filed oct. 10, 1932 2 sheets-sheet 2 @EJ vm/@www +Mw www Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED Sv'l-ATSl u OFFICE ,lfaElMBrrE ATTACHMEN, y i l` (reerge. Keller,-`Detroit,"Mic`l1.

` Applicatibn'oetobrglo, 1632, serial No. 637,154 s s claims. Kouaa-"19)" This invention relates to` a device` adapted for use in determining the proper shut or biteof the Jaws. i. i One of theprimary objects of thisv invention `5 is to provide a device ofthe above mentioned character which will include an attachment which may be readily 'secured-to impression trays', bite blocks, or the like, while they are in position in a patients mouth.- Y 1 i v i The invention further contemplates the pro= vision of anattachment` of the abovementioned character, the movable parts of which .will have at inter-.engaging surfaces 'whereby the movable parts of theiattachment maymove ,readily1withreference to each other. I n x ,I i f The invention further contemplates the provision of an` attachment of the above mentioned character which may be readilysecured to bite blocks or the like even though these bite 'blocks are somewhat out of alignment witheach' other. Still further the invention contemplates the provision of an attachment oftheabovementioned character which will-include means` for forming a permanent record of `theprotruded bite of the patient.

The invention also contemplates the provision of means whichwill make possible the position? ing of bite blocks or the like in an articulator in the same angular positionwhich theY blocks as` sume when they are in themouth of a patient. l

Numerous otherobjects and advantages` of this invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, particularly when reference is hadto the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout all views andwhere- Fig. l is a plan viewA of an attachment `constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention showing this attachment secured toa pair of bite blocks; F v Y Fig. 2 is a llongitudinal sectional `view through the structure shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3` is av perspective view Vofthe structure Yshowninligl; e y K n A "j Fig.' 4 is a View similar to Fig. l showing the positions assumed by the several parts of the attachment when the bite blocks are out .of align-y ment with each other; .1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of'Fig. 2;` g Y n Fig. 6 is a perspectiveLview of the bite ,blocks adapted to be utilized with the attachment; t

7 is a perspective view of asecondattachf ment constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;` v y Y Figs 8 isaa plan viewof a portion of the` structureshown in Fig; '7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on 5 the line 9`9 of Fig.` 8; y

Fig. lOis a'viewsimilar to Fig. `6 showing impression trays to whichthe attachment may be secured; rand 1 v r. f Y

Fig. 11 is asectional-:view taken lthrough one of the trays shown in Fig.7.

Referring then`A particularly,` to `the drawings, the numerals I0 and II designate upper-and lower bite blocks respectively. Each? bite' block is, in accordance with the usual practice'. formed with abodyvportion I 3 of Wax orlthelike,` and the upper face of the upper ibite block is shaped to conform' totheroof of the patients mouth, while the lower [face of Athe lower bite block is shaped to conform tor the bottom of the patientsmouth. i Fixed to the adjacent faces of the wax bodies I3 arie plates I4, theseplates being substantially U-shaped in elevation, as'i1lustrated inFig. 6 of the drawings. Fixed to the remote faces of the plates I 4' and/thus imbedded in the wax bodies I3 of the bite blocks, are tubular sockets I5, there being two sockets iixed to each plate I4 and these 'sockets'being xed tothe plates adjacent the forwardv ends thereof. It constitutesv al' feature of this invention that'with the Vsockets I5 secured to the'reniote faces of the plates I4 in the manner illustrated,` the plates I4 provide flat interengaging surfaces for the bite blocks whereby the bite blocks may move freely relative to each other.' 5Y

VThe numeral 20 designates a flat elongated 3 plate or arm having its one end'bifurcated to form the furcations 2l. Fixed to the upper face of these furcations are prongs 22 which project beyond the bifurcated end of the arm for en- 40 gagement in the sockets I5 of the'upper bite block IU. l.

' :The numeral 23 designates a second plate or arm adapted to liei flush against the under face of the arm 20 for longitudinal and pivotal `move- 5 ment with respect thereto. `To provide for this movement of the plate `23 with reference to the plate 20, there is xed tothe plate 23 a'stud 24 which extends upwardly through a slot 25 formed in the plate `2II. This stud is threaded to receive 50 a wing nut 26 whereby the plates 20 and 23 may belocked in any adjusted position with respect to each other.l I

` For the purpose of more firmly securing the plates 20 and 23 against movement withA respect lower bite member or blo'clii.V

to each other, there is provided a second stud 21 mounted in the slot for movement longitudinally thereof. This stud is provided with an enlarged head 28 which engages the upper face of the plate 26, and the shank of this stud extends through an arcuate slot 29 formed in the lower plate 23 adjacent the point of attachment of stud 24 to this plate. A wing nut 30 threadedly engages the stud 21 for clamping engagement with the under face ofthe plate 23, it being apparent that after theplates 2B and 23 have been moved pivotally and longitudinally with respect to each other, the nut 26 may first be tightened and the nut 3B then tightened to secure the plates in fixed position with respect to each'A other. The slot 29 in the plate 23 permits limitedpivotal movement of this plate with reference to the plate 20 and about the axiszoflithe. shank124.

Fixed to the under face of the plate 23,1s a boss 3l bored as at 32 to rotatably receivethe end 33 of a rodxor arm,34. .A setiscrew35vthreaded in the boss is adapted tofimpinge thef end of the arm 34 to lock this arm inany position of rota-tive adjustment with referencevto the boss. The arm 3dis bent'to form an elongated slot 36 disposed below the plate23. YSlidaloly mounted in the slot 3S isa stud 31 whichl is xed to a plate 38, this plate being adaptedto lie-'flush against the portion of the arm 34 which defines thelslot 36. A'wingnut y39con the stud 3,1 provides means for locking the plate against pivotal and sliding movement withreferenceto the slotted portion ofthe armv 36.; -i 1 that the portionof the plate 1 It will' be noted 38 to which the stud/31 is secured `is substantially normal to the plane of the arm23.

This plate is, however, twisted intermediate its ends-to provide a portion 4D adapted to assumea position'parallel to the plate 23, and fixed to the portion 40 ofplate-38 is a second plate 4I which is adapted to lie ush againstlthe under surface of the -arm 23. 'I'he plate 4I is provided with a slotl 42 which registers with the-adjacent portion of the arm 34ywherebytheplates 40'and 4l may v*beadjusted longitudinally of theAslot' 3 6, asA willi be readily apparent. l

Fixed to the plate 4I ,arek prongs 45, these prongs ,being conveniently formed of a single strip of heavy wire which passes through the plate 38 adjacent the twist therein. These prongs project forwardly beyond the'ends of the plates 40 andv 4Ifor insertion=into the sockets I5 of the bottom bite block Il.V

Fixed to the upperplateg2 adjacent the base of the furcations therein is a boss which carries an upwardly extending. threaded Astud 5l. Rotatably mounted onthis stud'isa smallarm 52 having in its forward end a socket 53. A pin 54 is-loosely mounted inv this socket and is adapted to engage that. portion of the.upper'face of plate 23' which lies between'the furcatio'ns 2| A spring 55 suitably anchored on the arm 52 engages the head of the pin 54 to urge thepointed end thereof into` contact with a layer 56:0fy wax on the adjacentzportionzof the .upper face ory plate 23.r A wing nut 51 is provided forlocking' the arm 52 against rotative movement on its stud 5|.

The numeral 66 designates generally a second attachment' adapted for! use withthe attachment above described. I This second attachment is shown more clearly in Figs'. 7 to` 9,' inclusive, 0f the drawings and comprises. an ar'm 6i having at one end thereof laterally extendingprongs 62 adapted'tobe inserted inftheopenings l5 ofv the Fixed to the other end of arm 6I at an inclination to the longitudinal axis thereof is a plate 63 which extends upwardly in a direction normal to the plane of the arm 66. This plate terminates at its free end in a pointed portion 64 for a purpose which will hereinafter be more fully brought out.

Plate 63 is apertured as at 55, and passing through the aperture therein is a threaded stud (i6-,which carries a fan-shaped plate 61. This plate lies at one side of the pointer 64 and is provided with indicia 68 which cooperates with the pointer in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig.

7 of the drawings.

A second-plate 69 is xed to the rear face of plate 61 and this plate has at its upper end straps 10 which'support a spirit level 1I. A wing nut l 12 isthreadedon the stud 66, the arrangement being such that rotation of this wing nut may be utilized to not only rock the plate 61 with reference'fto the: pointer, .but may also be utilized for clampingthis plate against' movement with refer'- ence to the pointer.

Inusing` the two attachments. above described, thek bite blocks are `placed in the mouth of the patient, andafter theloiteI blocks are properly in position, theiprongs carriedby the arms 20 and 23.. may. then be inserted in the-sockets I5 to secure the attachment to the bite blocks. Lateral movement` of the bite blocks relative. to each other is provided by thepivotal. connection between plates 20 and 23, while vertical movement of thebite vblocks relative to eachother isprovided bythe pivotal and sliding connection of plate 38 to arm 34. The pivotal connectionof arm'34 to boss 3| vandthus to plate 23.provdes that the prongs.45. may beinserted in the sockets |5` of the lower bite block'even if. the lower bite block is slightly out of alignment withrespect to the upper bite block, Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the plate 4I may be moved relative tothe arm 23 so that the prongs 45 will be parallel withthe prongs 22' evenV though they may be slightly out o'f alignmentA with respect to these prongs.

Further, the movementof. the boss to obtain theprotruded'bite of the'patient is permitted by Virtue of' the slidable connection between plates 20r and 23. It will be apparent that with the attachment secured to the bite blocks, the patient may be advised to so move his jaws that the stud' 24 will move longitudinally in the slot 25. This is'of` particular advantage since it provides a visible means by which the dentist may deter mine whether or not. the patient is imparting the proper movement to hisjaws and provides further, a visible means which will aid the patient in impartingthe proper movement to his. jaws.

It constitutes a feature also of this invention to provide means for recording the extent of the protruded bite of the patient. During the initial connection of the attachment tothe bite blocks, the arm 52 may be swung tothe position shown in dotted linesin Fig. l of thedrawings. With the arm in this position, a layer of wax, as designated by the reference character 56, may be placed on the portion of the arm 23 which is exposed between the furcations 2l. After the device is attached to the bite blocks,y the arm may be swung to the position shown 'in full linesin Fig; l of the drawings withv the vpoint ofthe pin 54 bearing on the layer of wax. If now, the patient'so moves his jaws as tofmove the arm 23longitudinally relative to the arm 20, the extent'v of relative movement of: these two-arms will be graphically indicated by the tracing of a line by the pin 54 on the wax layer 56. After the extent of the protruded and lateral bite has been determined, the plates may be secured against movement with respect to each other by the Wing nuts 26 and 30.

The obtaining of a graph of the protruded bite of the patient is of particular utility when the bite blocks are transferred to the articulator in accordance with the usual practice. The bite blocks may be placed in the articulator with their forward edges in vertical alignment with each other. The articulator may then be actuated to move the lower bite block forwardly with reference to the upper bite blocka distance equal to that indicated by the graph traced on the wax layer 56. The wax body of the upper bite block may then be built forwardly sufficiently so that teeth imbedded in the upper bite block will be set end to end, upper and lower anteriors, on bite blocks in protruded position. By thus obtaining an accurate measurement of the protruded bite of the patient, the teeth may be so located in the upper and lower plates which are made from the impressions formed that relative movement of the teeth incident to the forward and backward movement of the patients jaws with reference to each other will not be hindered.

It is customary, when utilizing the attachment shown in Figs. l to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, to hold this attachment in such a manner that the arms 20 and 23 lie in a plane substantially parallel to a line extending from the. exterior auditory meatus to the wing of the nose. When the bite blocks or members are transferred to an articulator, it is important that these bite blocks be placed in the articulator in the same position with reference to the horizontal that they assume when they are in the patients mouth. The attachment shown in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, is therei fore provided` for facilitating this proper positioning of the bite blocks in the articulator.

In using this attachment, after the proper positioning of the bite blocks with reference to each other has been obtained by the use of the attachment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, or in otherv words, after the bite blocks are so positioned with reference to each other as to indicate the proper bite of the patient, these blocks are removed from the mouth of the patient andsecured to each other in this position.l This may conveniently be accomplished by applying a quantity of wax or the like to the meeting edges of the two blocks.

The bite blocks are then replaced in the mouth of the patient, and the attachment 60 is secured to the upper bite block in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The bite blocks are then adjusted within the mouth of the patient until the arm 6l assumes a position parallel to a line extended from the exterior auditory meatus to the wing of the nose of the patient. With the bite blocks and arrn 6I in this position, the plate 61 is rocked with reference to the pointer 64 until the spirit level assumes a horizontal position, as indicated by the air bubble therein. The plate 61 may then be locked against movement with respect to the pointer 64 and a notation made as to the position of the pointer with reference to the graduations 68.

It will be apparent that when the bite blocks are placed in an articulator, the attachment 60 may be secured to the upperbite block and the plate 61 may be set to the position previously noted and indicated by the position of the pointer 64 with reference to the graduations 68. The articulator may then be adjusted to so position the bite blocks that the spirit level will assume a horizontal position, thus indicating that the bite blocks are in the articulator in the same position that they assumed in the patients mouth.

It will be noted that the plates i4 as well as the arms 20 and 23 are sof formed that the moving parts of the attachment slide relative to each other on smooth unobstructed surfaces. Thus the parts of the attachment may readily follow the movement of the patients jaws to accurately obtain the relative positions of the upper and lower bite blocks.

In Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings a slightly modified form `of construction is disclosed in which trays 15 and 'I6 are substituted for the bite blocks I0 and Il. These trays are of usual construction except that they are provided with sockets I5 for receiving the prongs 22' and 45. As -in the first described form of construction, it will be noted that the sockets I5 are so associated With the trays that the` engaging surfaces of the trays are entirely smooth whereby the trays may move freely relative to each other when they are in the patients mouth. i i

While the invention has been described with some detail., it is to be understood that the description is for the purposes of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes i .in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

`What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a device of the character described, an arm having prongs projecting from one end thereof, a second arm pivotally secured to said first mentioned arm, a plate pivotally carried by said second arm for movement into parallelism with said rst mentioned arm irrespective of the angular movement of said second mentioned arm with reference to said rst mentioned arm, and prongs carried by said plate and projecting beyond the end thereof.

2. In a device of the character described, an arm, prongs fixed to said arm and projecting beyond one end thereof, a second arm connected to said first mentioned arm for longitudinal and pivotal movement with respect thereto,` a boss depending from said second mentioned arm, a

third arm rotatably carried by said boss, a plate adjustably carried by said third mentioned arm, and prongs fixed to said plate and adapted to assume a position parallel to but out of alignment with said first mentioned prongs.

3. In a device of the character described, upper and lower arms adapted to be respectively secured to upper and lower bite blocks, means connecting said arms for longitudinal and pivotal movement, a boss carried by and depending from said lower arm, a third arm having an end portion rotatably mounted in a bore in said boss, said third arm being provided with a portion defining a substantially vertical slot below said lower arm, a member mounted for vertical movement in said slot and for pivotal movement with respect to said third arm, and a plate carried by said member and adapted to assume a position iiush against the under face of said second mentioned arm adjacent one end thereof.

GEORGE J. KELLER. 

